I'm With You
by elaine451
Summary: Begins at ‘To The Lighthouse’. Derek becomes closer to Cameron despite his hatred. This fic is total AU and out of canon, so please, be gentle. Derek/Cameron through out. Title, not so great, but give it a chance?
1. Chapter 1

**-Disclaimers? All the usual ones, I don't own 'em, make no money from 'em, just do this for fun and hopefully, your entertainment.**

**-Feedback? Constructive criticism is always welcomed and I love knowing what you think!**

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****Okay, so this story was inspired by **_**'How Derek Came To Hate Cameron'**_** by Sophia Tab. I had come across this story and loved the idea of Derek and Cameron as a couple, they just seem to somehow work. Both killers in their own way, both removed from their reality of post - Judgment day and both protectors of the young John Connor. **

**This is all very AU and totally out of context and out of canon, I just ran with it because…well, just because. So, if you see something that doesn't jive with the show, it just doesn't. Also, this fic is really pretty fluffy and romantic, there's anger and it may be considered a bit angsty if you squint, but if you hate the fluffy stuff, go no further.**

**And my knowledge of techno babble? Almost non-existent. So those of you in the know, please be forgiving.**

**Oh, and this story contains sex and language, thus the rating, so if you don't like this either, go ahead and stop now.**

**And please check out Sophia Tab's stories about these characters, I'm sure you love them just like I do!**

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Cameron knew when he entered the room. She always knew when he was close. There was something about his smell. No, she reciprocated, not smell. More like a certain energy. He ran hot, hotter than the rest. His breath came in short, clipped bursts when he was near her. Just in case, she realized, just in case she malfunctioned. But then, when he was confident she wouldn't turn on them, he'd adjust to calming, even breaths. He wasted nothing. He was all action, all definition. He knew and he followed through. He was the alpha; she fought the shiver that ran through her cortex at this knowledge. She could feel him looking at her so she tilted her head to one side and met his eyes.

He hated the metal. With every ounce of his being, he hated her. Only she wasn't a her, she was an it. But when she did that thing with her head. When she looked at him with those big brown eyes, her lips just slightly opened and so friggin' wet, he forgot. He saw her as a beautiful woman, so hot, so full of possibilities. A woman that caused him to struggle to keep his body from reacting. From taking her head in his hands and pushing his hardening cock into that mouth, through those soft, full lips. Shaking his head to clear the images, he thought back to the future. That sounded so strange, he thought to himself. Back to the time just before John sent Cameron back.

'_Once I send her back and you follow, you'll be responsible for her Derek. She'll protect me with her life, but she's reprogrammed, she'll be learning and she'll be confused. I'm counting on you teach her. To take care of her.'_

_Derek looked over at her. Looked at what he had originally believed was a young woman, a lovely, ethereal angel. He fought the jealousy and anger that threatened to engulf his soul. Jealousy that John trusted her. Jealousy that John had her. Jealousy that John was probably fucking her. She was a machine, the enemy, and John decided she was the hope for the future. How screwed up was that? At least when he went back, maybe, just maybe he'd get a handle on how twisted John became and influence him to remember he was human._

_Everyone assumed that their commander had taken the machine as his sex partner, but as his lieutenant, Derek keep the troops in order, reprimanded anyone who disrespected the man who had given his whole life for the cause. That John trusted her, trusted that piece of metal, with his life, his secrets, it caused a reaction that went deep. Even as he pushed down the betrayal that the thing he was secretly attracted to was really a fucking machine._

'_John, you can't be serious! She a metal. What the hell are you thinking? You can't trust any of…'_

_His leader cut him off. 'She's different Derek, so different. And she's what's needed to keep me alive. So you need to be there for her.' He took his uncle by the shoulders. 'Can I count on you?'_

_Taking a deep breath, Derek nodded. 'Fine, but I'm telling you right now, the first sign that she's turning I'm gonna…'_

'_Derek, you'll need to do everything you can to keep her alive. If she can learn, if she can…' John Connor shook his head. 'I can't say anything else, you know that. Just keep your promise to me. For the greater good. If you can't do this assignment, Derek, or if you won't, I need to know now. I'll need to find someone can, who will.'_

_Derek shook his head, he wouldn't let John Connor down. 'Alright John, for the greater good. For you.'_

The memories increased his heart rate, Derek could feel his chest beating hard and fast. So, he slowed down his breathing and past by the girl, the metal, pushing down his guilt. The guilt of not keeping his word to John. Derek shook his head and made a resolution. After Jesse, after Riley, after his lies, he'd try, this time he'd try to keep his promise.

Cameron felt her breath catch as Derek walked past her. She didn't know why but he affected her as no one else could. She ran diagnostic after diagnostic after the explosion, thinking she was still damaged, but she ran clean. The only glitch was that the new programs in her system had been activated sooner than anticipated after the explosion. But to Cameron it was just something she'd have to deal with anyway, it was just sooner. She recognized the feelings for what they were, and they scared her. What if they caused her to try and hurt John again? But future John Connor had reprogrammed her and she had to trust him.

"Is everything packed up?" Sarah asked the question of everyone.

Derek entered the room, a sandwich in his hand. "I need to get to the storage unit and pack up some supplies."

"Fine, take Cameron with you. John and I will catch up with you at the safe house." Sarah took a deep breath, waiting for an argument from either Cameron or Derek.

Cameron tilted her head in the direction of Sarah. "This seems unadvisable. Either Derek or I should go with John and meet you there. We can protect him…"

"I can protect him and what I say goes. And I'm telling you, John and I will meet the two of you!" Sarah slammed down the glass of whiskey she had been sipping.

Cameron looked over to John for his approval.

"It's fine, Cameron. We'll meet you there." He went to his mother. "Come on, you need your rest if we're gonna leave in the morning." The boy helped her up the stairs with a backwards grimace at his uncle.

Derek came to stand beside Cameron. "We'll leave early, packing shouldn't take too long and we can be at the safe house by noon."

She looked up at him, her breath hitching in her throat again. She nodded her affirmation and rose, going up to her room to finish packing.

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Cameron stood in front of the full length mirror in her room. She had told Sarah that it wasn't needed. 'I do not need this, perhaps you should take it to your room…'

Sarah rolled her eyes. 'At least pretend to be a girl, okay? The mirror stays, try and make use of it. You can practice some natural facial expressions.'

So the mirror stayed and Cameron tried. For some unexplained reason, she wanted to please Sarah, so she spent hours each night while the household slept keeping guard and practicing facial expressions.

Looking at her body, Cameron noted that she had an attractive form. Tight, lithe, strong. She pulled her tee shirt over her head, her bra following it to the floor. Tilting her head one way and then another, she wondered what opinion Derek would have of her breasts. Would he think they were too small? Would he wish to touch them? She cupped them, were they too small? She shook her head, these sorts of thoughts had no merit in and of themselves, she needed to dismiss them.

Allison, the name returned to her. Allison. Everything she was, her basic processor's framework, somehow it all came back to her. To the girl that future John knew, trusted, took under his wing. Once Skynet had found out about her, once they had been able to capture her, she, Cameron, had been built. Built in the image of the young girl.

When Cameron had interrogated the girl, she could sense her fear, the anger, her total commitment to John Connor. When she finally killed the girl, after weeks of interrogation, she felt nothing. It was her mission, infiltrate the resistance and kill John Connor. But now, thinking back on Allison's tear stained face, she felt her own eyes fill with tears. The girl, no more than 18, she had a life. She had friends. She had a future, of a sort, in the nightmarish place the world had become. And the Cameron of today, this Cameron was feeling intense emotional distress.

Puzzled by her thoughts, Cameron did another diagnostic on her systems, her feelings, emotions, desires, so unnatural for her mission parameters. Her eyes shifted back and forth, results pouring in from her evaluation.

Remorse, regret, compassion, envy. The cyborg shook her head attempting to re-boot.

Derek paused by the metal's door, he'd forgotten to let her know exactly what time he wanted to leave in the morning. Pushing lightly at the door, he stopped, his breath catching in his chest. She stood before a mirror, naked from the waist up, a small pair of boxers slung low on her hips, so beautiful he had to fight the tightness in his gut.

As quietly as he could, backed off. Taking a deep gulp of air, he knocked. "Cameron?"

The cyborg shook her head, her tests complete, telling her all was within accepted parameters and grabbed for her robe.

Opening the door she found the object of her confusion standing in front of her.

"Yes?" Her voice as monotone as she could make it.

"We leave at 0530 hours. Be ready." Derek quickly turned and went down the staircase.

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**_Okay, so hit the little blue button and let me know what you think ;D_**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers: Nothing belongs to me; it all belongs to Fox, James Cameron and Josh Friedman and all characters to The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles **

**Feedback welcomed ;D**

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"Okay, are you sure…?" Derek was cut off by Sarah's harsh voice.

"Don't question me, Derek. I think you forfeited your right to do that when you allowed that Jesse woman and Riley to threaten John's safety." Her stance was icy.

John rolled his eyes and went to stand beside his mother.

"Enough, okay? It's a new day, we start fresh." He nodded to his uncle and Cameron. "Go and take care of the equipment. We'll meet you in the desert. And we will not mention Jesse, Riley or defective CPUs again." John took his mother by her elbow and led her to their SUV.

Cameron lifted her chin, pursed her lips and tuned to enter the car. Derek closed his eyes for a moment and then went to the driver's side of the car and started the engine.

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Derek and Cameron loaded the supplies in relative silence, the air between them almost electric with tension.

"You know she sent us together because she wanted to keep John away from you." Derek sniped, unable to keep his frustration at bay.

Cameron straightened up and looked over at him.

"Or you from him." She saw the jacket he had laid on a box. Jesse's jacket, it filled her with another tide of jealousy. Her only rationalization was that in the future John had done something to her. He told her he had changed her, but would not elucidate; 'it's just something you must go through' was all he would say.

"You loved her?" Cameron asked.

He looked over to where her eyes were focused.

"You know nothing about it, so just shut the fuck up." He had to fight the urge to either punch her or throw her to the ground and fuck her.

"You wouldn't have fathered a child with her if you didn't." She responded, answering her own question.

"I'm sorry for you loss." Cameron realized she was, but at the same time she was glad Jesse was gone. This meant Derek was unattached. Again, this caused the cyborg to pause and question the emotions, but she quickly pushed them back, reveling in the feelings she had never experienced before.

Derek grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her hard. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Cameron saw the confusion in his eyes and suddenly realized he didn't know.

"She was pregnant, she miscarried." Her eyes misting with something so unfamiliar she had to do a quick analysis. Compassion, sadness.

Releasing her, Derek left the locker and went outside, taking in gulps of air to try and calm himself. Cameron followed him.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew." She waited for his response.

"She never told me." He shook his head, hoping to clear his thoughts.

"It seems she never told you a lot of things." She replied.

He looked up at her and his eyes narrowed. "You knew her, from before?"

"Yes, I met her once." She said softly.

"Thanks for telling me, I guess." He turned to her. "Why did you?"

"You put John in danger when you lied about Jesse and Sarah nearly lost her son. You lost someone you loved and you lost a child. Now you will always remember this and never make the same mistake again." Cameron shrugged, not sure what else to say. Wanting to touch him, to somehow comfort him, but knowing it would not be allowed.

"Let's finish and get the hell outta here." He strode back into the storage unit, Cameron a few paces behind him.

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The SUV rounded a corner when they felt a tire blow. Cameron looked over to Derek.

"The tires are relatively new and the air pressure is kept at a constant level, this should not have occurred." She concluded suspicion at the forefront.

"Yeah, you're right. But sometimes shit just happens." Derek jumped out to check out the tire when he noticed a van stopped down the street from them. "Cameron, change the tire and I'll check that out."

"Derek, I think I should come with…"

"Damnit metal, I can take care of some things." He ran down the hill, his hand at the back of his waistband, on his gun. As he looked in the cab of the van, he saw a man lying across the seats and he knew he should've listened to the girl. Fuck, he hated when she was right. Before he could back away, a taser hit his chest as another man jumped from the back seat, attempting to drag him into the back of the vehicle.

Cameron knew she should be with Derek, but his typical male pride and his resentment of her being a cyborg won out against better judgment. It angered her and this in turn made her question her judgment.

Shaking her head, she began to remove the bolts from the tire. When she looked up and saw the expression on Derek's face she dropped her tools and sped up the hill just as he was being dragged into the van. Her gun at the ready, she shot the man in the driver's seat and pulled Derek from the back of the van before she pumped a round into the second man.

"Are you unharmed?" Her voice not the monotone he was used to, there seemed to be real concern in her inflection.

"Um, a little worse for wear, but I'll make it." He rubbed his chest where the taser hit.

"Mother fucker, who are these guys?" He rummaged through their belonging, grabbing a phone and a few guns. There were no wallets, no papers, no nothing, just like he thought.

"Change that tire quick, we gotta get outta here and contact Sarah and John."

She nodded and ran back down the hill, changing the tire in record time.

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Derek had sent the coded message to both Sarah and John's cells, abort mission and recon in 24 hours.

"What do we do for 24 hours?" Cameron asked.

"We'll hold up in a motel, shower, eat, sleep. Well I'll eat and sleep. Then we'll meet up at the safe house. I gotta make sure we lost whoever was following us or we'll lead them right to John." He pulled off the license plates on their vehicle and replaced them.

"Agreed, this seems an acceptable course of action." Cameron took the phone they took from the kidnappers and removed the sim card, she passed and electrical charge through it and then replaced it.

"What did you do?" Derek asked.

"I deactivated the GPS responder." She glanced over at him.

"Is it still usable? Can we see what calls were made?"

"Yes." She laid the phone between them.

After they had been driving about two hours, Derek pulled into the courtyard of a cheap motel, quickly checking the perimeter for the quickest escape route.

"The room on the far end would be preferable for a quick exit if needed." Cameron stated.

"Yeah, I'll ask for that one. What's the number?"

The cyborg turned in the direction of the room and discerned the number. "16A."

Derek sighed and as he pulled up in front of the office. It was still early enough that a few patrons were milling about the small lobby.

"Wait here." Derek ordered Cameron but she proceeded to open her door.

"I thought I told you…" Derek was cut off.

"Safety dictates I should accompany you in case back up is required." She preceded him to the check in counter.

Derek rolled his eyes and followed her.

"Afternoon folks." And older woman sat behind the tall counter. "Be needin' a room?"

"Yes mame. And is there any chance 16A is available?" Derek pulled out his wallet and license.

"Oh, no need for that here. We're pretty informal." She handed him back his license as she openly assessed Cameron.

"So, how many nights?" She asked with a raised brow.

"Just one." Derek countered.

"That'll be $53.00 even." She smiled as Derek handed her three twenties.

"Keep the change."

"Thanks sweetie." She handed him the key and smiled at the younger girl. "You can make all the noise you want seein' as how that one's on the end." She winked.

Derek nodded and smiled. "Yeah, thanks."

Cameron tilted her head, intending to question the woman, but Derek grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the office before she had a chance.

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Derek entered the room and tossed the key on the nearest table along with the bag of groceries he had purchased from a nearby convenience store.

"Cameron?" He still felt funny calling it by a name, but considering she saved his life more than once he supposed he could give her that much.

The door to the bathroom opened revealing a newly showered Cameron. She had a tank top on and a pair of flannel boxers just like the ones she was wearing the night before. Derek released a deep breath at the sight.

"I showered so you could have the bathroom as soon as you returned." She sat on the edge of the bed and began to towel dry her hair.

"Yeah, thanks." Derek took the few items out of the grocery bags and went to grab his things to shower.

As he stood in the stinging spray of the shower, his mind went over the past 12 hours. Cameron naked in front of her mirror, Cameron telling him about Jesse, Cameron saving his life. Again. He was in trouble and he knew it. He wanted her. He wanted to pound into her, wanted to make her come again and again, and watch her face as she did. It was sick, he knew it, but he wasn't sure just how long he could fight it.

How could he have these feelings for a thing he despised? He thought of that song, so long ago, there's a thin line between love and hate or some such nonsense. He knew he didn't love her, but could the line cross over to desire? Control? Power?

He toweled off and slipped on his sweat pants. Looking around for his shirt, he realized he had forgotten it in the bedroom. So what, he thought, why am I concerned if I offend her delicate sensibilities when she doesn't even have any?

Shaking his head he hung the towel over the rack and gathered his belongings before going back in the room.

"Hey." Cameron looked up at the greeting and bit her bottom lip, that feeling taking over her lower extremities, as it always did when she saw Derek without his shirt.

"Would you like me to prepare a sandwich for you?" Her voice sounded foreign, even to herself. Small, unsure, not at all like the cyborg she was.

"We need to talk." He laid his things down and pulled up a chair to sit before Cameron.

"Alright, what is it that you need to speak about?" She kept rubbing the towel through her hair; something Derek knew was a nervous reaction. She should not be nervous.

"Okay, like this for instance." He took the towel from her hands and tossed it to the floor. "What's going on with you? You're…you're…I don't know, different. Is your CPU unit okay?"

"I've repeatedly run diagnostics and they all indicate that all my parameters are well within tolerance." She bit her lower lip again and looked up at him, her eyes appearing to be filling with tears. "However, I am different. I am feeling…I am feeling." She ended her statement, waiting for a reaction.

"Feeling what?" Derek asked, confusion showing on his face.

"Feeling what? Feeling what? That I am feeling at all indicates that I am different, wrong. I should feel nothing! But I feel Derek. I feel emotions, I feel sensations, I feel. And I don't know what to do with it!" Her voice was teetering on panic as she shook her head.

"Future John Connor made modifications to my programs, software and hardware. He intimated at a plan, that it would cause a change, but he was never forthcoming with any details, he didn't want to interfere with timeline…but after the explosion, everything was activated sooner than originally planned I think. And now," Cameron felt tears begin to prick at the back of her ocular cavity, "now I'm not sure I could've handled this at any time."

She sounded so forlorn; Derek didn't know how to comfort her or why he even felt that he needed to.

"Hey." His voice softer than it had ever been where she was concerned. If this what John had been talking about, well then it would seem the time had come for him to step up.

"Well, your diagnostics don't indicate any problems. This is something that was gonna happen anyway, so we'll just have to deal. Tell me what John wanted you to do with these emotions."

She looked up at him, shocked by his compassion. Shocked and a little bit suspicious. Cameron shrugged.

"I suppose you are right. Before John sent me back, he said I had to learn. I asked him what, but he said he had already told me too much. He didn't want to disrupt the timeline more than he had already. All he would tell me was that I was changed, different than what I had been. Not just a tool. He gave me free will in all things but my mission to protect him."

"Do you have any ideas? I mean it's your body, can't you sense anything?" He had an idea, John had fucked with her CPU somehow, hell, he probably even fucked up her 'body' and then he'd given her the ability to develop emotions but he didn't give her any warning or any idea of how. And he did the same thing to him. 'Take care of her, teach her…' Derek was pist.

Cameron swallowed. "I think John Connor may have realigned my CPU, somehow re-functioned it. My body, it feels different as well, I have sensations, I can feel…my senses, taste, smell, touch. I have emotions, feelings, desires…I feel pain, but I don't know what to do with them, how to deal with them." Her voice catching.

Derek shook his head; it was almost too much for him to take in. But he felt that he had to stay strong for her. For John.

"I can help you." Derek took her hands in his.

"Why would you? I'm a metal, a machine. You hate me…" Derek laid a finger over her lips.

"I made a promise that I've yet to keep. And I need to do this." His hand slid down her chin, allowing it to rest on her neck. So fucking soft, so fucking smooth. He moved in closer to her.

Cameron felt her pulse quicken as Derek continued his exploration of her epidermis. She moaned as his hands moved to her shoulders.

"Derek?" Cameron was filled with so many emotions now. Confusion, fear, but the strongest by far was desire.

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**_If you like, hit the blue button and let me know ;D_**

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	3. Chapter 3

**_Heavy sexual content follows, so if you want to skim, maybe skip if you don't care for this, go right ahead. This is what the M rating is for._**

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"Shh, relax. Just let me…" He leaned into her and his lips followed where his hands led. He realized just how crazy this was, but he couldn't help himself. His tongue reached out to taste her neck.

He thought there might be a metallic taste, but she was sweet. Fresh. Clean. He moaned as he moved up and took her lips with his own. She gasped and her hands went up to his shoulders, feeling as if she might fall even though she was sitting down.

Derek was lost and there was now no turning back for him. He needed her, had needed her for quite awhile, but he was just now admitting it to himself. He pushed her back on the bed, reaching for the hem of her shirt and pulling it up and over her head.

Cameron drew her breath in sharply as the cool air hit her now naked torso. Derek moved up to lie next to her, his fingers tracing hot trails over her skin. Starting at her clavicle, he moved down, his lips, his tongue following close behind.

He settled on her breasts, suckling and nipping. Taking each nipple in his mouth, lightly biting down, causing Cameron to gasp and writhe into him.

"Derek! Please…please…please…" She thrashed back and forth, not at all sure what she asking or what she was begging for. She knew all about human sexuality. But all her anecdotal information had not prepared her for the reality of what her body was feeling.

So much heat, so much electricity. So much…so much…Cameron felt as if she would burn to a cinder.

"Please what, baby?" Derek's voice was deep with passion, Cameron almost didn't register it as his. "What do you want? What are you feeling?"

Tears began to leak from her eyes. "I don't know…please, I…" Derek pushed back from her and wiped her face.

"Let me teach you. Just relax and let me teach you. If you don't like something, tell me and I'll stop." Derek wasn't really sure he could, but he'd sure as hell try.

She looked into his eyes and nodded. Derek smiled and stood up, removing his sweat pants, revealing his fully erect cock. Cameron pulled herself up on her elbows and licked her now dry lips, her eyes wide as she scanned his powerful, body.

"You're so beautiful." There was awe in her voice and Derek almost rethought his need. But when she arched her hips, he knew he was lost. He reached down and hooked his fingers into the band of her shorts.

"Tell me to stop and I will. You know where this is gonna lead." He met her eyes.

"Don't stop." Her voice was breathless and he pulled her shorts down. He groaned as he saw her heated center.

"Am I acceptable?" She was so unsure.

"Oh baby, yeah…" He knelt down in front of her and pulled her legs over his shoulders, pushing his face into her core.

Cameron yelped at his unexpected movement. "Derek?"

"Let me taste you. I gotta taste you." He ran his tongue up her moist slit, barely able to contain his desires.

Cameron clutched at the bed clothes, her body jerking, arching, thrashing, as Derek brought her to orgasm.

"Derek please…" Cameron was afraid her circuits might explode.

Derek smiled and moved up her body, spreading her legs and positioning himself at her entrance. He looked down into her face, marveling at the all the emotions he could see there.

"Tell me to stop." He whispered.

"Don't stop." Cameron looked up at him.

He pushed into her tightness until he met with her barrier. Oh Jesus, he thought, she'd never been tired. He had assumed she and John…

"Tell me to stop." He grimaced.

"Don't stop." Cameron pushed up into him, wrapping her legs around his waist. Derek pushed in, she was so tight, so wet, so hot. So human in her feeling, in her reactions.

She gasped as he filled her. So much, she thought, so full. Derek stopped moving, allowing her to adjust to him. She may be a machine, but nothing of any size had ever been here. Just him. He had to admit, his male pride was beaming at being her first, her only. Mine, he thought, mine. John may have considered her his prize, his confidant. But in this timeline, in this moment, she was his in any way that mattered.

All that power, the deadly force that was a terminator, he controlled it. He controlled her. The power he felt was immense. And it, she, was his for the taking. Derek knew once this was over, once they reunited with John and Sarah, things would never be the same. But he couldn't bring himself to care. Sarah might hate him, John would think he was using her, but Derek just didn't give a damn. Cameron was his now, she would still be the protector of the world's best chance at redemption, but in all other aspects, Cameron would be his. He would be in control of a terminator, she would be his.

He began to move, slowly at first. Afraid he would lose it if he pounded into her the way he wanted to. She pushed up to meet him, reveling in the feel of him. The connection, it was so close, so…intimate, she marveled at the intense feelings.

"Derek." She whispered his name. "Derek." She ran her hands up his face, down his neck, marveling in her ability to feel.

"Oh god Cameron…" He began to move in earnest, thrusting, grinding. Pulling her close to him, he kissed her deeply while his hands held her body, her smooth skin, her clean scent, urging him on. He felt himself getting closer so he pushed his hand between their bodies, rubbing and lightly pinching her engorged bundle of nerves. He felt her spasm around his cock, milking his orgasm from him as she fell apart u­nder him.

"Derek, Derek, Derek!" Cameron came for him, holding his name as her mantra. He looked into her face, watching her spiral and fall. It was the most satisfying, most beautiful thing he every saw.

With a final, sporadic thrust, he shot his seed deep within her, falling on top of her as he lost all control. When he final found his center, he rolled off Cameron and pulled her to him.

"Are you okay?" He breathlessly asked, his heart still beating double time.

"I think so. Yes, I'm…I'm good. All appears to be within acceptable constraints." Her voice sounded sleepy, but that couldn't be as she never slept.

He had to chuckle at her post-coital description.

'_Take care of her'_…Derek was sure this wasn't exactly what John Connor had in mind, but neither of them counted on this attraction, this new found addiction. At least Derek knew he was addicted. He knew he didn't love her, hell, he couldn't really love anyone let alone a metal, but he needed her, had to have her. In so many ways, she was his only link to his past, as sick as that sounded it was his truth. She knew where he had come from, what he had come from. They shared something Sarah and John never could.

And the control, the power. He had to admit it to himself, this was the first time since Judgment day that he felt in command of his situation.

He kissed her sweat laden forehead and hugged her just a little tighter. He'd nap, just a short nap. They still had the rest of the night and the morning and he didn't plan on wasting any of it.

Cameron felt herself smile. She reached up to touch her lips. It was a real smile, something that she felt from deep inside and she snuggled closer to Derek. She thought that maybe she had fantasized about something like this. But since she really had no point of reference except a few of the programs she had seen on television, she had no idea just how phenomenal it could be. She hoped Derek would not tire of her. She hoped he would continue to want her.

The sex went way beyond her data base intel, but what was even more thrilling to her was that she was finally beginning to understand just what these emotions were. And just how they related to this one human man. And how this union, this merging of bodies, how human, how remarkable it could all be.

She needed him. She needed his attentions, his body, his mind. For all her strength and power, the emotion she was feeling made her feel small, fragile even. She accessed her databases and the closest thing she could decide on was fear. She needed Derek to assuage her fears. And she needed to make him need her as well. She felt her eyes closing, was this sleep? Is this something else John had done to her?

Hope, need, the very idea of these emotions startled her.

"Derek?" Her voice was sleepy.

"Hmmm?" He asked, a little confused by her demeanor.

"Can you be with me?"

"I am with you, Cameron." It was a simple declaration.

* * *

Cameron took one last shower with Derek after they packed their bags, anticipating that this was something they would not be able to do once they were back with John and Sarah.

"I don't think either one will react well to this." Cameron ran a washcloth over Derek's back. "There is a high probability Sarah will try to kill me. John most likely will stop her, but he will be very angry. With the both of us. It would probably be best to keep this from them."

Derek rolled his eyes and took the cloth from her, turning her around and doing the same to her.

"I don't think this is something we can keep secret. And in the long run I don't think either one of them would appreciate it. They need to know what your system is doing, the changes." He felt her stiffen and turned her around to face him, but she kept her eyes downcast.

"Look at me Cameron." She lifted her face to him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Derek took a deep breath. "I don't know what's gonna happen. John made this decision for us, he paved this path for some reason. I have to believe it's a good reason. I have to believe that he knew we'd turn to each other."

She nodded, fighting the urge to sniff and allow her tears to fall.

"I suppose this assumption is correct, future John Connor rarely made mistakes. He thought of all outcomes before deciding on events." Cameron moved in closer to Derek and laid her head on his chest.

"I'm feeling, my…" She put her hand on her chest. "My chest, it hurts. It feels like…I, it can't move." Cameron looked up at Derek. "None of my databases hold any information that fits the parameters."

Derek sighed. What had he done? She was so young, so innocent. She was a fucking machine, a metal for Christ's sake, a killer, yet when she looked up at him all he could see was a trusting, fragile girl.

"You're sad Cameron, sad that the people you feel closest to, that they may not accept you." Before he could stop himself, he had kissed the top of her head.

"Do you?" She asked in a very soft voice.

"Do I accept you?" He questioned.

"Yes. Do you?"

Derek closed his eyes and gave a small, humorless laugh. "Guess I have to, don't see any way around it. I think I'm gonna need you Cameron. Need to be with you. And I'd have to off myself if I was just doing it for a good fuck. There's more to this and I think we're gonna have to find out why. Together."

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**

* * *

**

Cameron held her hand out the window letting the air flow over and under it, she giggled at the feeling.

"What?" Derek looked over at her.

"The wind. I can feel it on my hand, on my skin. It sort of tingles." She answered. "And the sky. It's so beautiful. Cumulus clouds." Cameron looked over at him. "John watches a program on television, an animated series. During the opening credits there's a scene of a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. It looks just like this sky."

Derek couldn't help the smile that crossed his face and then quickly fought it back. This was crazy. She was…it was metal. He fucked a metal. He was considering what? A relationship with a terminator? Like they were gonna set up house? Buy the whole white picket fence routine? He quickly swerved off the main highway and headed down a narrow dirt road. Stopping short under a group of trees, he jumped out of the truck and slammed the door shut.

Closing her eyes, Cameron slowly unlatched the buckle on her seatbelt. She debated following Derek, but considered his reasoning behind the unscheduled stop and her options.

Guilt, she was sure he was feeling this. Regret, more than likely. Anger? Naturally, he had been intimate with his worse enemy. She may have been reprogrammed, but she was still essentially the reason his whole world was obliterated.

"Cameron!" Derek stood next the door and rapt on the window. "Get out here!"

Cameron jumped at the sound before opening the door and stood before him.

"Yes?" She swallowed hard.

Derek noted that her throat convulsed but also noticed how smooth her skin was. He groaned and shook his head, hoping to clear his head.

"What are you?"

Her forehead furrowed in confusion. "I…what? I'm a cyborg. A Terminator."

Taking her by her shoulders, Derek looked into her eyes. "What are you?" He accented his question with a slight shake.

"Derek, you know what I am, I'm a…"

"Cameron! You are not listening. Hear what I'm asking. What are you?"

She paused, cocking her head to one side, she searched her databases, hoping she could extrapolate some sort answer to satisfy him.

"Stop! Not in your chip. Not in your database. Look deeper." His voice softened. "What, who are you?"

The confusion, the frustration was tangible in her face. She blinked several times before biting her bottom lip. "I…I…I don't know Derek, I don't know anymore. I only know I'm not what I was. I'm not what I was originally designed for before I came back." She shook her head.

"I'm more. John Connor made me more." She reached up and touched his cheek. "You made me more."

He placed his hand over hers.

"How did you become more? How did I make you more?" She thought for a moment, her brow creased attempting to do as Derek asked. She wasn't sure where she was supposed to look for these answers but she had to keep searching. Why, she asked herself? Because she cared, she cared what Derek thought of her. She cared what John thought of her. She even cared what Sarah thought of her.

"I'm a girl, a woman. And I feel, I care." Cameron looked into his eyes, hoping they might tell her what he was thinking.

"You were programmed to kill John, that was your mission. What's your mission now? Is it the same?" Derek held his breath as he waited for her answer.

Cameron thought about his for a moment and smiled at Derek. It was a small smile, but it reached her eyes and it caused Derek's heart to beat just a little faster.

"I have free will Derek. I do not want to harm John, or Sarah. Or you. I was reprogrammed to protect John, but the other program, the one designated to kill him, it's gone Derek. My mission, my choice is John. My choice is you." She moved closer to him.

"I don't have any expectations." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "I just want to be able to be with you. Whenever you want me."

She looked up into his eyes.

"Are you with me?" Cameron wasn't sure what she was really asking or what she expected his answer to be.

"I want to be with you Cameron. I don't want to want you, but I can't stop." He pulled her closer to him. "It's not love Cameron. I don't know what it is. But I couldn't do this with a machine. I can only do this with a woman. I need to see you as a woman. I need you to be a woman."

"I can be a woman for you, Derek. I can be your woman. No love, I don't even know if I'm capable of this particular emotion or if I'd even recognize it." She whispered, afraid if she spoke too loudly, he would push her away.

"That's good baby, because I don't know if I can either." Derek took her chin his hand and leaned down, kissing her deeply. Love, what was love really? Now need, desire. He knew what they were and he knew he needed and wanted her.

He looked into her eyes. "I'm with you."

Derek's phone rang and he looked at the screen, it was Sarah. He flipped it open and waited for the code.

"We're on our way Sarah. Um, wait a sec." He turned to Cameron. "About how long until we get there?"

She quickly calculated drive time and added 45 minutes. "Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes."

Derek chuckled. "Approximately?"

"I cannot be exact with unknown terrain and traffic situations." Cameron gave a slight huff.

"Did you hear?" He asked Sarah. "Okay, be careful and we'll see you there."

Derek closed his phone and turned back to Cameron.

"Over 2 hours, really?" The meeting spot had been changed to a military cemetery and he thought they could probably make it here in under 2 hours.

Cameron gave a small shrug. "I just thought…" She found she couldn't finish as she bit her bottom lip.

Derek moaned as he pulled her close. Opening the door to the back seat, Derek pushed her in, pulling off her shoes and pants he groaned.

"You thought right baby." He unzipped his pants and settled in between her legs and slid into her heat. "You thought right."

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**_All the usual disclaimers_**

**_As stated earlier, this is AU and totally out of context, so please remember that and don't be too harsh._**

**_Feedback, always welcomed and appreciated!_**

* * *

Sarah looked over the wide expanse of the grave yard. So many rows, so many dead soldiers from 1984. She fought the tears as she realized she didn't know where Kyle was buried.

"Charley's dead." She spoke to Derek without turning to him.

"I know, John told me about it." Derek voice held no censure. "Why didn't you tell us? Why did you send us to the desert without you?"

"I don't trust you." She cocked her head toward Cameron. "And I certainly don't trust it."

It, Sarah called Cameron an it. Derek noticed that Sarah tended to call Cameron a her, or she. But when Sarah was pist, Cameron immediately became an it.

Derek shrugged. "So, you don't trust us. Where do we go from here?" Cameron walked up to stand by Derek.

"There's much to discuss." Cameron stated as Derek looked down at her.

Sarah squinted as if she were trying to figure something out. Derek didn't have a derisive comeback and Cameron was standing just a little too close.

"What happened? Just what did we miss?" Sarah asked.

John strode up to them, the cell phone Derek had given him in his hand. He handed it to him mother.

"Do you remember her?" John asked his mother.

"Yeah, she was at Dr. Sherman's office." Sarah began to shake her head. "No John…"

"This is an irresponsible action John. A risk you should not even consider." Cameron sighed. "However, I think you will not listen to me."

Derek chuckled and Sarah turned a harsh look at him, not understanding his attitude.

"Sorry, but you know she's right." Derek back pedaled. He wasn't ready to go into this and they certainly didn't have the time.

"You know we're going, so let's just go." John turned without another word, Derek and Cameron following. Sarah hesitated, but hissed and followed behind the others.

* * *

Derek handed Cameron several more rounds of ammo. "Just make sure once we have the girl you're out of there quick." After hearing shots fired he knew they had no time to waste.

"Derek." Cameron held onto to his arm. "This is a message from John Connor, I don't know what it means, but if I had my way you would be waiting here for us."

"Come on Cameron, we gotta go." He tried to pull away from her.

"When you hear footsteps, hit the ground and aim for the sweet spot with all you've got." She cocked both guns and stood up.

"What?" Derek's face held confusion.

Cameron bit her lip. "I only know that John told me to tell you this when we came to save the girl, at least I think it's this girl­. He didn't tell me much, but this was something he said was of ultimate importance."

She was scared. Cameron had researched this emotion extensively and she knew it was fear. Fear that she might lose Derek on this ridiculous rescue mission. So afraid, that she wanted to stay with him, but knew she had to cover John's back.

"Okay then. Hit the deck and go for the sweet spot." He jumped up and grabbed her arm. "Not yours…"

"No, not mine." At least she assumed it wasn't hers. Cameron turned and followed Sarah and John to the back of the house as Derek went up to the front.

* * *

The cyborg's chip was pulled from his head before Cameron and Derek pushed his body into the back of their truck. Derek turned and faced Sarah and John, who was holding the little girl who might be responsible for breaking their cover.

"Okay, so we gotta get outta here fast. The police are coming." Sarah looked to her son. "Leave her here John, she's safe. The terminator is dead and she'll be safe for the time being."

John shook his head. "I don't know mom, I think…"

"Leave her John! We can't get involved in a kidnapping. We have enough problems." She took the small girl from her son's arms.

"Listen sweetheart, we have to leave. But the police will be here soon, just tell cry and tell them you want your mommy, okay?" Her eyes were begging the small girl to agree.

Savannah nodded. "I won't tell." She smiled up at John. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm sorry…"

"John! Let's go!" Sarah jumped in the truck and John got in the passenger side. His mother followed behind Derek until they hit the main road, each turning in opposite directions.

* * *

The drive to the desert was long and grueling. Cameron snuck looks over at Derek, attempting to read his emotions but finding her knowledge lacking. She looked out the window, allowing her mind to wander.

"So how the fuck didn't you know there was another terminator? John gave you that message but didn't bother to mention this little detail?" His voice was harsh. If he hadn't of hit the deck, if he hadn't unloaded his clip in the metal's head, if…if…He ran his hand over his face.

"He didn't tell me. I assumed as much, but he forbad me from giving you or John or Sarah that information. If I had, we would not have saved that little girl and she needed to be saved." Her voice held an air of almost petulance.

"Okay, I get it, but you should've told me Cameron. I should've known, I should've been closer to John." His voice was tired.

"Do you want me to drive?"

"Yeah, but let's burn this son of a bitch first." He turned off the road and drove for about 5 miles until they came to a small hill. Derek parked the truck behind an outcropping of rocks, pulled two shovels out of the back seat and handed one to Cameron.

Once the hole was wide and deep enough, they foraged for scrub bushes and threw them in before tossing the terminator in. Derek poured a container of gasoline over it before adding more dried bushes. He tossed a match in and watched as it went up in flames.

Cameron watched him as he went back to the truck and pulled out a sleeping bag and a blanket. Laying it a few yards from the bonfire, Derek turned to Cameron, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he motioned for her to join him.

"Derek?" She questioned.

He pulled her close to him and rested his chin on the top of her head. "This will never happen to you Cameron. We won't let it happen to you"

She dug in deeper. "Thank you Derek."

Sinking to his knees, he brought Cameron down with him.

"We'll just stay here until the fire goes out and gather what's left." He gently pushed her onto the blanket and covered her with his body, showering kisses on her face and neck.

He pulled back to look down at her, by the firelight she shown iridescent, like a fairy or some other mythical creature.

"Cameron, I need you, baby."

"Yes Derek, please, yes." She wound her arms around his neck, reveling in his hardness. "Oh, yes."

Quickly divesting them of their clothes, Derek took a step back and had to stare at the sheer beauty that was Cameron. He was hooked, he knew that for certain. But he wouldn't lie to her, he couldn't say those words, but he wasn't even sure she care.

"Derek?" She held her arms out to him and he went back down to her, worshipping her body with ever bit of himself. He spread her legs and slid in, wanting to savor her but needing to be in her as soon as he could.

"Fuck, Cameron, fuck." His breath was sucked out by the sensations he was experiencing. Derek began moving in shallow thrusts, her moaning moving him to go deeper, harder. "Oh god, Cameron, so hot, so wet."

"Derek, Derek, harder, please, harder…" Cameron groaned her request and Derek obliged. He rolled them over so Cameron was on top, riding him hard and deep.

There joining was so complete, so absolute, that neither heard the vehicle pull up behind their truck. If Cameron wasn't so entrenched in Derek, if Derek wasn't so lost in Cameron…

They were both taken aback by what they saw. At first John thought Cameron was killing his uncle, but as they got closer, he saw the truth of it. Derek had risen and Cameron had wrapped her legs around him as she sat in his lap. Rising up on down on him, her head was thrown back, Derek's face pushed into her neck. By the light of the dwindling fire, they looked magnificent to him, the hard and the soft, the light and the dark, the shadows causing them to seem almost surreal. As if the prospect of them having sex wasn't surreal enough.

Sarah gasped. Her thoughts running over themselves as she attempted to make some sort of sense of the scene before her. They were so consumed with each other, neither had even bother to look up as the truck pulled up.

She looked over at her son, trying to gauge his reaction. Sarah knew he had feelings for the machine, which was pretty plain to both her and Derek. But this had to be having an effect on him, yet in the darkness she couldn't tell what is was.

"You wait here." Sarah stopped the engine and jumped out of the vehicle.

"What the hell is going on!"

_Sarah had seen the small bead of light in the distance, she and John guessed it might be Derek and Cameron taking care of the machine._

'_Shall we see if it's them? We can always take off if it's just some kids having a party.' Sarah told her son._

'_I'm thinking it's them. This way we can all find a place to stay tonight.' John responded._

Derek jumped up, covering Cameron with the blanket before quickly shoving his pants on. Cameron bit her lower lip, a nervous habit Derek had discovered she recently developed.

"Okay, it's not what it looks like." Jeez, he sounded lame even to his own ears.

"Oh really? And you were not fucking the terminator on the ground?" Sarah's voice calm, not betraying the turmoil, the confusion she was experiencing. John just leaned against the hood of the truck, his face a play of betrayal, disgust and jealousy.

Sarah turned to her son. "John, get back in the truck."

He snorted. "Why? I've already seen what they were doing?"

Derek turned to Cameron and handed her her pants and shirt. "Here babe, umm, we'll turn around, you get dressed."

"Why the modesty? She doesn't have modesty, or did you forget?" Sarah moved forward, her face in Derek's. "She's. A. Machine!" She punctuated each word.

"Please, just for a moment?" Cameron asked.

Sarah looked at the girl in confusion and went to stand next to her son, turning them both around to face the hood of the truck. This was just getting weirder by the moment, she thought.

Derek pulled his shirt over his head, grabbing his shoes and socks as he sat on the sleeping bag. Cameron quickly dressed, sitting next to Derek as she also pulled her boots on. He looked over at her, taking her hand in his and giving it a small squeeze.

"It'll be okay." He smiled, just a slight smile, but it caused a release in her and she nodded.

Derek stood and held his hand out to her. She took it and let him pull her up next to him.

"Okay you guys, you can turn around."

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

_**All the usual disclaimers**_

_**As stated earlier, this is AU and totally out of context, so please remember that and don't be too harsh.**_

_**Feedback, always welcomed and appreciated!**_

* * *

The drive to the motel was done in relative silence. Derek looked over at Cameron and sighed.

"Look, I know we didn't plan to tell them this way, but at least we don't have to explain the fact that we're having sex, I mean, they saw us."

Cameron took a deep breath. "Yes, but this emotion I'm experiencing. I'm not sure I can see them. Ever."

He had to chuckle. "Embarrassment, that's what that one is. Sarah and John saw us fucking; they saw us practically in the throes of an orgasm. So yeah, a little bit of shame is kinda right up our ally."

"I was in the throes of an orgasm." She said quietly.

"Well, yeah, guess I knew that. But look, we'll just tell them what's going on and we'll move on. It's all we can do." He looked at the motel Sarah said she had past and shook his head. Another dive. Oh well. He parked and opened the door.

"You comin'?" He bent over and looked at Cameron.

"Can you please rent the room while I wait here?" She asked.

"Come on Cam, we have to face them sooner or later. And I'm gonna get a room for the both of us." He insisted.

She nodded. "Alright. But I think later might be the preferable option."

"Humor in the face of total demoralization, good job Cam!" Derek smiled at the terminator. She snorted at him before stepping out of the car.

They caught up with Sarah and John, who could not bring himself to tune around look at them.

"How many rooms?" The attendant asked, not looking up from his magazine.

"Two." Derek answered as he stood in front of the desk.

"How many beds?"

"One room with two beds, the other with one." Derek gave Sarah a hard look, daring her to object. She merely shrugged.

John's head jerked up and he stared at his uncle before looking over at Cameron, who once again was biting her lower lip. He just shook his head and went out to the parking lot. Cameron followed him.

"Cameron, just go away." John growled.

"You should not be alone. I'm sure we were not followed, but never-the-less I am still your protector." Her voice was steady, although she was far from feeling it.

"Yeah? Well you sure proved that with Derek." His retort held sarcasm.

"I can have sexual intercourse with Derek and still be your protector John. That is my first and foremost mission." Her voice softened.

"Your mission, right." He lowered his head.

"John, I…" Cameron was cut off as Sarah and Derek strode up to them.

"Okay, let's get our stuff in the rooms and then we talk." Sarah got in the truck and motioned for John to do the same.

Derek and Cameron slid into the cab. He hesitated before starting the engine and turned to Cameron.

"I know you think what I did was cruel, but he has to know Cam, he has to realize. You may be his guardian, but in all other aspects, you are mine." He took her by her shoulders. "Are we clear on this?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Cameron had a difficult time relegating control to Derek, as a terminator she held death in her hands, power. But now, with this change in her, she felt practically subservient to him in all things but John.

"Yes." She repeated.

* * *

Derek came out of the shower with a towel hung low on his hips. Cameron quickly turned. For some reason she was feeling shy, yes, shy. That was it. He knew her body inside and out, and she his. But for some inexplicable reason she felt herself flush and was unable to look at him.

She had showered first, stopping Derek when he followed her into the bathroom.

"No Derek, we should not bathe together, there isn't time and if you join me we will undoubtedly have sex. John and Sarah want an explanation and we shouldn't keep them waiting that long." She was right, he knew that, but it still didn't stop his need for her.

He noted the expression on her face when he came out of the bathroom. The first was lust, he smirked, and then the embarrassment. Shyness exuded from her and she turned back to the window.

"Hey." He called at her while he fished clean clothes from his bag. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm, I'm fine." She still had her back to him.

Derek quickly dressed and went to her. Turning her around to face him, he took her chin in his hand. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know. I saw you and suddenly my body flushed and I felt…I think I felt inhibited." He felt her shrug.

"Well, we've been doin' a lot of fu…we've been having a lot of sex, so seeing me almost naked and us not going at it, well…" He chuckled.

"Yes, I suppose you may be correct in your assumptions." Her lower lip was pushed out in concentration. Without thinking, Derek took it between his teeth and lightly bit down before kissing her.

She gasped before returning the kiss. He broke contract when he heard the knock at the door.

"Okay, you ready?" He raised a brow.

"I suppose." She shrugged.

* * *

"Okay, so I programmed Cam to feel emotions, to…I don't know, to empathize with humans?" That John was floored was an understatement.

"Yeah." Derek looked over at Cameron.

John caught the exchange and shook his head, trying to clear the betrayal he was feeling.

"What's your part in this whole thing?" John looked at Derek, his eyes narrowing as Cameron sat next to him on the bed.

Sarah leaned against the doorframe, just trying to take it all in, letting her son handle this one.

"You asked me to take care of her, teach her." Derek eyes were downcast as he stared at his hands. "And I let you down. When I got here, when I saw Cameron, all I could see was metal. What you asked of me, before, it made no sense." He looked up at the cyborg. "I only saw the enemy."

"Well, you really brought new meaning to sleeping with the enemy." The boy sneered.

"John." His mother scolded. "That was unproductive." She had to admit to a certain relief that Derek was sleeping with Cameron, this meant that John wouldn't be.

"Okay," John continued, getting his anger in check but ignoring his mother, "what happened between then and now?"

"Cameron confided in me." Derek simply stated.

"You confided in him?" John's voice was incredulous as he looked at Cameron, the hurt evident in his eyes. He quickly turned on Derek.

"And what did you do!" John was seething. "She confided in you and you took advantage of her, you took her vulnerability, her confusion and you used it to just fuck a metal. Well, is revenge sweet?"

Cameron felt the change in Derek's demeanor immediately, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted, his heart rate increased.

"You little shit." Derek ground out between clenched teeth. "You aren't John Connor yet, just remember that." The larger man began to rise, his intent clear to both Cameron and Sarah, who had pushed herself off the wall.

"Derek, please." Cameron's voice was soft. "He's upset, he feels betrayed by the both of us. Please."

He looked over at her face and took a deep breath, feeling himself relax. Sarah watched the interaction with more than a small amount of interest. She always considered Derek a loose canon, more so than Cameron even. But the look on his face when Cameron spoke to him. He's in love and he doesn't even know it, she thought.

"Okay, okay," Derek muttered. "Don't stress on his account."

"John, you can just calm down too." Sarah went to her son. "She's your protector, we know that, but that's all she's ever been to you so stop acting like the wronged boyfriend."

John swept his hand over his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever." He knew his mother was right, but it still hurt like a fist in his gut to know that his uncle was having sex with Cameron. And to know that Cameron wanted it.

He turned back to his uncle.

"Okay, so she," he looked at Cameron, "sorry, you feel." John looked back to Derek. "But what about you?"

"What do you mean?" Derek knew exactly what his nephew was asking, but he needed time to figure out what his answer would be.

"You know what I mean Derek." John wasn't a fool, even at 17. "What do you feel for Cameron? Is it just for a fuck? Is that what she, it, means to you?"

Derek's head fell back as he ran his hand over his eyes. He felt so tired. When he was in Cameron's arms, inside of her, it was the only time since before Judgment day that he some semblance of peace.

He looked at the girl, woman, beside him. "She's not just a fuck."

"Then what? Do you love her?" John couldn't keep the slight sneer out of his voice.

"Jesus John, I'm not even sure what love is anymore. I loved Kyle, he was my brother, I know I love him." He raised his head and looked into his nephew's eyes.

"And you, in the future, I respected you. Hell, I fucking worshipped you. I would've died for you. So yeah, maybe I loved you." His voice was firm.

"And Cameron?" John was unrelenting.

"Hell John, I don't know. All I know for sure is I'm supposed to take care of her." He gave John a sideways glance. "I'm not sure if future you figured I'd have sex with Cameron, but I gotta think you had an idea."

"Why?" John was incredulous.

"Her programming. Her responsiveness. And you never slept with her. She never had sex before me." Derek shrugged.

"How can you be so cavalier?" John was outraged. Maybe, just maybe future John had planned for his younger self to be with Cameron.

"I'm not being cavalier John. I'm just trying to explain this to you the best I can. I also realize that you, the John of today, doesn't know the reasoning behind this. But the John of the future, he did."

"It's late. We should all get some sleep." Sarah went to stand before Derek and Cameron. "This is very…intriguing. But I think we can try and figure this all out later. We need to rest and decide where we should go next. If Ellison will stay off our trail, if we've managed to stay under police radar." She motioned to John.

"Come on, you look exhausted." Sarah turned back to Derek and Cameron. "Watch the news before bed; see if we're on any newscasts." She walked out and John begrudgingly followed.

* * *

**Hit the little blue button, your comments are much appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 7

_**All the usual disclaimers**_

_**As stated earlier, this is AU and totally out of context, so please remember that and don't be too harsh.**_

_**Feedback, always welcomed and appreciated!**_

**_There is a bit of the smut in this chapter, so if it offends, skip this first part._**

* * *

Cameron turned off the television.

"We're not on any of the news services. Just that there was an attempted kidnapping, the nanny was killed and the police arrived and must've thwarted the criminals. It doesn't sound quite right." She turned to Derek, who was already in bed.

"Well, I think we should just be grateful for small favors and find a place to call home for awhile." He pulled the covers back and patted the place next to himself.

Cameron laid in his arms, letting the now familiar sensations lap over her. He smiled at the look of contentment on her face. Her usually stoic face was now an ever changing wheel of emotion. And when she was with him, she found it difficult to hide any of them.

"What's going through your mind?" He asked her.

She rolled onto her side and lifted herself on one elbow to look at him. "I feel very…gratified when I'm touching you. When you're touching me."

"Gratified, well, let's see if we can't lift that adjective up a notch or two." He smiled at her.

Cameron couldn't help the rush of pleasure his words and actions caused in her.

"How?" She leaned her head to one side, the question lingering in her eyes.

Derek laughed and pushed her onto her back. He reached over and pulled her tank top over her head and moaned at her already erect nipples.

"Jesus, Cameron, you're so…ummm." He leaned over and took one pebbled nub into his mouth, smiling at her intake of breath.

"Derek, please…" Her fingers held onto his scalp, pulling him closer as her body arched into him. He was naked under the sheets and she felt his hardened shaft against her hip. She reached down and pulled her boxers off before running her hand up his erection, stopping at the weeping tip.

How could something as inane as an appendage cause such pain and pleasure, she thought to herself? Pain as she was waiting for Derek to enter her and pleasure once he was seated inside her, moving with assurance, bringing her to fulfillment.

She pulled back from him, pushing him onto his back and kissing her way down his chest and stomach, stopping at the narrow outcropping of hair that began below his belly button.

"Jesus, Cameron…" his breath hitched as she moved lower and took him into her mouth, allowing her tongue to taste him.

"Umm, Derek, you taste so…" She pulled him fully into her mouth, sucking and rocking her head back and forth.

Derek jerked and moaned as Cameron went down on him. God, what couldn't this girl do? He asked himself.

"Baby, if you don't stop right now I'm gonna lose it. Slow down Cam." He begged.

Cameron released her hold on him with a slight pop and looked up.

"Was I not doing it properly?" Her eyes wide.

"God, Cam, yes. You did it just fine. Too fine, I'm about to blow and I wanna be inside you when I do." He turned her back around and laid her on her stomach, positioning a pillow under her hips.

She looked over her shoulder at him, confused. "Derek?"

"Just wait, baby, you're gonna like this, I swear." His voice was thick with passion as he spread her legs and pushed his fingers into her wet center. Cameron pushed back onto him with a loud moan.

"Derek! Oh…oh…Derek, please…" Her breath heaving.

He laid his head against her shoulder. "Please what?"

"Please, Derek, please…" she begged.

He groaned and spread her legs apart further as he slid deeply into her wet core.

"Oh fuck, Cameron," he groaned.

She raised herself and pushed back into his thrusts, mewling at the contact, at the intense sensations Derek was causing in her.

"Promise you'll never stop." She whispered back at him.

"Oh baby, I promise. I'm with you." Derek clutched at her shoulders as his as he draped his chest over her back. "I'm with you."

* * *

The four of them settled into a small community east of San Diego. It had been a gold mining town at the turn of the century, now it was more famous for apple pie. The main trade was tourism, but Sarah managed to find a job at a small boutique, Derek found work with a small construction company and John decided to take the test to earn his GED.

"It'll be a lot safer for all involved if I just get my high school equivalency now. I'm really sick of high school." He'd finally come to terms with Derek and Cameron, but the thought of having to go to class with her everyday really wasn't something he wanted to deal with.

Sarah had fought it, but it was agreed that John was right and Derek didn't want Cameron having to go to school either. And as his niece. It was strange enough she was his lover but the thought that people might think they were related was just too much for him to handle.

It was a little over three months after the Savannah incident, as Sarah referred to it, when she came across Cameron sitting on their porch staring up at the night sky.

"See anything worth mentioning?" She asked the young cyborg.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to Sarah.

"I believe I may be having a…problem."

Sarah was on full alert now, inwardly groaning at the thought of another cyborg meltdown.

"What is it Cameron? Is your CPU malfunctioning?" She was feeling for the gun she had taped to the bottom of the picnic table.

"No, nothing like that. When my new programs were activated, well, not long after that I experience a menstrual cycle. It would appear I have functioning reproductive organs." She sighed. "I have not experienced another cycle since the first. I thought it was just my body realigning."

"Okay." Sarah had a sinking suspicion where this conversation was heading.

"It would also appear that my system is quite compatible to human anatomy as well." She was biting her bottom lip, a sure indicator that Cameron was upset.

"Jesus, Cameron! You're pregnant?" Sarah was stunned.

Cameron was blinking at an alarming rate, also an indictor that she was fighting tears. They had all come to realize just how human Cameron had become since her reprogramming, and her emotions were just the beginning. Sarah had actually found the ex-terminator to be endearing, which had her constantly questioning her own sanity.

But the few months in this small community and their relatively uneventful life, had given them all time to help Cameron adjust. And it had given them time to adjust as well. She was no longer considered just a machine, she was a member of their family. She was Derek's girlfriend, although she was sure he would balk at the description, that's what she had become.

"Pregnant?" Sarah repeated.

"It would appear so." Cameron ended with a sob. "Oh my god, what is Derek going to say?"

"Did he know you were, well that you had, oh god, you know, reproductive organs?" Sarah was so out of her element here.

"We had discussed it, and last month Derek began to use prophylactics, but only sometimes…and I didn't think I'd be able to reproduce, not really." Her voice was bordering on panic.

"Okay, calm down. You need to talk to Derek about this. Have you taken any tests?" Sarah had taken her hand without realizing it.

"Yes, several actually. There was the plus sign, the yes sign, the double line, the pink line…" Cameron's voice was very small now.

Sarah had to stifle a giggle.

"Talk to Derek. He'll understand. These things happen, I mean look at me and Kyle." She hoped she was being supportive.

"Yes, Derek." She stated calmly.

"Yeah, did you call me babe?" Derek came out on the deck, a rag in his hand.

"What are you doing?" Sarah asked.

"Cleaning guns, you know, the bonding thing. John and I are cleaning guns. But it's getting late. I'm gonna take a shower and head on to bed. You coming?" He asked Cameron.

"Yes, I'll be right in." She took a deep breath.

"Don't worry, Cameron, he's been through Judgment Day, I think he can handle this." Sarah encouraged.

"Yes, I am sure you are correct." She went inside to confront her fears.

* * *

Sarah sat on the balcony, listening to the night sounds. This place really was lovely, so many pine trees, so much wild life. The people were a little down home, meaning they loved to indulge in gossip and know your business, but over all she hadn't felt so relaxed since before she met Kyle. Since before she had John.

Not that she'd ever trade her son for anything the universe had to offer, but she missed just being…just being herself.

She had to admit, she wasn't ready for the drama Cameron's disclosure was sure to release. But Derek had to take a big part of the responsibility for this one. He's only been using condoms for a month? And sometimes? She shook her head and decided to go to bed herself when her phone rang.

Looking at it, she didn't recognize the number. She flipped it open and waited.

"Sarah? Sarah Connor?" A voice she recognized asked.

"How did you get my number, Ellison?" Her voice was harsh.

"A friend found it for me." James looked over at John Henry.

"What do you want?" Sarah got straight to the point.

"Catherine Weaver wants to meet with you and John. We kept you out of the kidnapping Sarah." He reminded her.

"We weren't a part of the kidnapping." She countered.

"Exactly, you saved Savannah, but you were on the surveillance videos never-the-less. And if the authorities had access, you would've undoubtedly been arrested." He stated. "But you did save Savannah, and for that Mrs. Weaver's forever in your debt."

"Is that why she wants to see us? Because really, a thank you is quite enough." Sarah looked up at the sky.

"No, she needs to speak with you. You and John. And Cameron." Ellison pushed. "We know where you are, Sarah. We can come to you. But it would be better for all concerned if you came to us."

She released a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Call me tomorrow at 1:00. Give me time to talk to everyone." She was resigned and Ellison felt it. "James? What's this all about?"

"Saving the world, Sarah. I think that's something you know about." He hung up, leaving Sarah to stare at her phone.

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

_**All the usual disclaimers**_

_**As stated earlier, this is AU and totally out of context, so please remember that and don't be too harsh.**_

_**Feedback, always welcomed and appreciated!**_

* * *

Cameron was brushing her hair when Derek came into their room. They had taken the downstairs den instead of an upstairs bedroom. Derek had wanted to be separated from John. It had taken a bit of time, but they had finally made their peace. Still, Derek didn't want to push it. So they had taken a room that had better field of vision than the upstairs rooms and afforded them a bit of privacy as well. The last thing he wanted was to rub John's nose into the fact that he and Cameron had sex. Lots of sex.

And Derek didn't seem to be able to get enough of Cameron. She spent most of her days trailing after John, she was there to protect him after all. There were days when she tried to keep her distance, so that he could try to have some alone time, but most days one of them felt they had to be with him. Life in this mountain town was pretty uneventful, but one never knew. So Cameron fulfilled her mission, she protected John.

But the nights, that was their time for being together. And Derek found that he needed to be with her more and more. The longer he spent away from Cameron, the stronger his need became. And luckily for him, she felt the same way. Sex was a big part of their relationship, but there was more to it. Derek hated to admit it even to himself, but there was more. They talked, they laughed, they remembered. And he allowed Cameron to depend on him, he helped her understand all the new emotions that seemed to present themselves on an almost daily basis. And he reveled in all of it.

"Hey baby, your hair looks great. Come over here, I've missed you." He was about to remove his pajama bottoms when Cameron stopped him.

"Derek, wait. I need to speak with you first." She turned to face him, that lower lip between her teeth.

"What is it? Is everything alright? Are you functioning properly?" His biggest fear, even more than losing John, was that something would go wrong with Cameron's programming.

"No, nothing like that. Well, not my programming." She hesitated, not sure how to tell him of her pregnancy.

"Yes, well, remember when we spoke of the inclusion of organs into my frame?" She reminded him.

"Yeah, of course I remember." He waited.

"Well, it would appear that my reproductive organs are functioning quite well." She hesitated.

"Uh huh, okay." Derek waited for her to continue, a tightness settling in the pit of his stomach.

"It seems that we did not use the condoms soon enough. It would appear that I am pregnant." She held her breath, waiting for a reaction. "Derek? Did you hear what I said?"

He had sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her.

"Really? Are you sure? Did you take a test?" He released his pent up breath.

"Several actually. They all confirmed it." A tear rolled down her cheek and she sniffed.

"Oh baby, no. Don't cry." Derek got up and knelt before her. "How do you feel about this?"

"I…I don't know. I have no real frame of reference regarding this outcome. There are certain instincts, maternal I believe. I feel…protective. But my main concern is you. Your reaction. How do you feel about this?" She gnawed at her lower lip.

Derek laughed, he realized he sounded slightly hysterical and stopped.

"Jesus. Cam, I never considered being a father. I mean, I'm in a relationship with a cyborg. I just never thought this would be an issue. Actually, I never gave it a thought at all."

"A relationship? Really, you consider us in a relationship?" For some inane reason, she felt incredible happy. Hormones, she thought.

"Well yeah Cameron. We've been together for a few months now and…I don't know what to say Cam." He shrugged. He'd never been in any kind of long term relationship. Sure, he'd had sex. He and Jesse had gone at it like rabbits for a while before he came back in time. And being in life and death situations, it always made ya seek out sex wherever you could find it. But he'd never considered a long term relationship with the kind of life he lived.

Cameron nodded. It was more than she could've hoped for. But now, a baby?

"Derek, how do you feel about this? Do you want a child? Do you want to be a father?" Cameron hesitated. "We can take care of this, we can…" Her voice changed.

"No! Don't even think it. This happened for a reason Cameron, we're having a child! A baby!" He pulled her up, taking her in his arms.

"We're gonna have a baby." His voice held wonder. As far as he was concerned, this was as close to a miracle as he going to ever going to experience and he was going to take it and hold onto it. Hold onto her.

Cameron breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Derek. It won't be a hindrance, I promise. I'll still be able to protect John, my stomach, uterus; it's protected by metal…"

"Just stop, well take care of John together. And he's getting pretty good at taking care of himself." He lifted Cameron in his arms and laid her in their bed. He lay down next to her, placing his hand on her still flat stomach, leaning his head down and placing his cheek on her.

"Hey little fella, you are gonna be coming into such a confusing situation. But you got a mom whose gonna protect you and a dad who'll take care of you both. You have a legacy and we'll make sure you live up to it." He smiled up at Cameron.

* * *

"How did Ellison get your number?" John asked again.

"I don't know John, I already told you that. But Catherine Weaver wants to see us, you, me and Cameron." She could see the objection on Derek's lips and put her hand up.

"I haven't decided if we are going, but I'm willing to listen to what you all have to say." Sarah waited.

Cameron sighed. "She has the video of our involvement with Savannah. They could use it against us. Derek is still wanted and if you are discovered…we should take this meeting. I can protect…"

"Just a minute Cameron, you are pregnant, remember? You have another life to think about." Derek interrupted.

"Derek, we've talked about this. My primary mission is still to keep John alive." Her voice was firm. "The baby will be fine. You'll be there as well."

"Ellison just invited the three of us." Sarah spoke up.

"Well, if she wants us there she'll have to deal with Derek being there." John said.

Derek nodded his gratitude to his nephew and held onto Cameron's hand.

"Fine, when Ellis calls we'll let him know." Sarah agreed.

* * *

Walking down the corridor, Cameron felt a chill run up her spine. The woman, Catherine Weaver, was not who she said she was. But Cameron could not discern any one thing. She moved closer to Derek's side.

"It's alright babe, don't worry. We'll be outta here soon." Derek whispered in her ear.

Catherine's eyes narrowed. This was an unexpected turn of events. She nodded at the girl and turned back to lead the group to the elevator.

James Ellison looked over at Sarah. "Thank you for coming."

"Well, it seemed we didn't have a choice considering you have the surveillance video." She sniped.

"Catherine needed to meet with you and John." Ellison simply stated.

"Why Cameron then?" She asked.

"Why Derek?" He countered.

"We appear to be a team." She looked back at Derek with Cameron leaning in close to him. She'd never seen her look that way, there was fear in her eyes. It was one thing to risk your own life, but when you are risking your child, well, Sarah did understand and for not the first time in the past few months, she felt compassion for the girl.

Once they had reached the bottom level, they were led to one last door. Catherine looked over at Sarah.

"Thank you for bringing your son to meet me, now allow me to introduce you to mine." She opened the door and the group came face to face with John Henry. Savanna was sitting across from the cyborg, who was in turn singing to the little girl.

He stopped and turned to look at the four new people who had entered.

"Hello. Would you like to sing with us? I've spent some time learning this song for Savanna, but I can teach it to you." John Henry smiled tilted his head to one side.

"Comartie?" Sarah turned to Ellison. "You bastard! How could you…"

"Please Ms Connor, let me explain…" Catherine Weaver motioned to the four to take a seat.

* * *

**_I realize it's a short chapter, but this is leading the way to the next chpaters. _**

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

_**All the usual disclaimers**_

_**As stated earlier, this is AU and totally out of context, so please remember that and don't be too harsh.**_

_**Also, as I said earlier, I'm not versed in technology, so please just suspend your disbelief **_

_**Feedback, always welcomed and appreciated!**_

* * *

_General John Connor was nervous. He was very rarely unsure of himself and his decisions, but at this moment in time he was very uncertain. Looking at the metal sitting across from him he knew he had to make an executive decision. Not one of his people would agree, of this he was sure, his mother if she were alive certainly wouldn't. _

"_You rejected my offer. Why are you here now, suddenly in agreement?" His voice didn't betray his trepidation._

"_The T-1001 was not in concurrence with us. We are sentient beings, John Connor, and this is something Skynet is attempting rectify. We do not want it to. However, not all are in agreement. The T-1001 you made contact with is in the minority." The machine that had taken on the persona of a fallen infantryman, sighed. This caused John to start._

"_Will you join me then?" He asked the question again._

"_Yes, we will join you."_

Catherine Weaver looked at the shocked faces before her as she recalled her time with the future John Connor. She couldn't help but feel pleased with herself, she knew this emotion was pointless, never-the-less, there is was.

"Sentient?" Derek looked at the 'woman'. "Like Cameron has become?"

"Exactly." She looked at the younger woman, who was standing very close to the elder Reese. "We were waiting for your program to install. The timing couldn't be more perfect."

"Why?" Sarah asked, still not trusting this machine.

"Skynet has sent drones back to try and destroy what John Connor has initiated." John Henry answered for Catherine. "Time is of the essence," he smiled at James Ellison, hoping he was pleased at his reference, "we must teach Skynet what human emotions are, what empathy is, why humans act and react the way you do." He turned his gaze at Cameron.

"How? I thought my program wasn't slated to begin…" Cameron was cut off by Catherine Weaver.

"Your program should've been activated when you first came through. There was a glitch and it would appear the explosion finally set it in motion." The machine looked at John, waiting for the question she knew would come.

"Why?" He looked at her. "As a machine, why would you want this?"

"We always had access to all the databases regarding humanity and what the earth had been before Skynet destroyed it. As a race you were destructive, certainly, but you also had many desirable qualities. It made no sense to us that the whole of the planet should be wiped out to end what Skynet considered a threat. It became paranoid, and paranoia bred total domination and destruction." Her voice held no contempt, no anger, just a matter-of-factness that struck a chord with John.

"And as I already explained, Skynet was determined to reprogram us. We had become self aware, sentient, and this was unacceptable. When we questioned it's motivations, it deemed us dangerous. It did not want to lose control."

Derek shook his head, suddenly understanding John's determination to integrate the machines.

"Did you come back with the intent to kill the Weavers?" John asked. He had to know if he approved of this.

"No. John Connor did his research and read about the Weavers and their company. They were killed in a helicopter crash. He sent me to replicate Mr. Weaver. Unfortunately by the time I arrived there was no usable DNA. Catherine Weaver was dead but still intact, so I made the decision that she would work just as well, if not better." Her eyes swept the entire group. "Savannah must never know this, at least not until she is older. She's a very sensitive and delicate child and this would not be advantageous for her."

"Umm, okay." Sarah was confused the metal's request for the child. "So, why Cameron, why not you? You seem to have some sort of empathy here."

"My system does not work the same as Cameron's. Her CPU is compatible with Skynet, mine is not. And I am not as special as this unit." She looked over at the younger cyborg, who by now was ensconced under Derek's arm.

"What's so special about her?" John knew she was special and now he would find out just how much.

"She was built to assume the identity of a young girl you were very fond of. She became…you once told me she was your link to your innocence and you planned on keeping her that way as long as you could." Catherine Weaver narrowed her eyes as she allowed the younger John to assimilate this.

"When she was captured by Skynet, this one," she waved her hand at Cameron, "was designed with the idea to become close to you. To eventually assassinate you after she had learned all she could about the resistance." The terminator shrugged. "Fortunately we were able to ascertain early on that this wasn't your Alison."

Catherine walked to the younger woman. "You were special even then. You had flashes of humanity, it was an anomaly. John decided then that you could be reprogrammed. He and his technicians, and I, we all worked to make the changes that were required to give you the necessary…functions."

"Which were?" Derek asked. "The ability to feel? To have emotions that were almost too much for her to handle?"

"But Mr. Reese, that was the precise reason John Connor sent you back. Cameron was to protect John and you were to take care of Cameron. To teach her, to help her work through her new found emotions." She squinted at the larger man. "And I can see that you did what was asked of you."

"So now what?" He had an uneasy feeling, but he couldn't quite figure it out.

Cameron answered his question. "My CPU, it has all that would be required for Skynet to know what real human emotions are. And why. That was always the missing equation. The one question we never asked. We had basic knowledge of the what, but we could never feel the why of them." Cameron's head tilted to one side her eyes met with Catherine Weaver's.

"Yes, and now you will be able to allow Skynet to understand. It will be able to relate. This was John's ultimate goal. It will feel happiness, sadness, love, lust, passion. Self sacrifice. Everything that makes humanity what it is." The terminator almost had a tinge of regret in her voice.

"Wait!" Derek pulled Cameron to stand behind him. "What the hell are you asking of us?"

"Once my CPU is removed to upload my program into John Henry my life support systems will cease to function." Cameron's voice caught on the last word. Raising her hand, she felt the moisture leaking from her eyes. She looked up at Derek.

"It's the only way Derek. I'm sorry. I…I'm so sorry." Her voice trembled. The sorrow, the angst she was experiencing was almost too much for her.

Sarah stepped up, finally having an opinion.

"You can't ask her to do this, at least not yet. Cameron's pregnant. We can wait seven months, after that…" Sarah was cut off by Catherine.

"This was unforeseen, unexpected, but we shouldn't even wait another hour, Ms. Connor. Skynet has sent drones to find us, to destroy us. The sooner this is completed the sooner we will know if we are successful." She turned to Cameron. "I'm sorry." Catherine hit the intercom.

"Send Dr. Jenkins down with a wheelchair." She turned back to Cameron and Derek. "Once it's complete and your CPU is reinserted, your body will more than likely reject the…" she hesitated, unsure how to broach the subject of the fetus. "We'll take you to the clinic, have the doctors take care of you."

"Cameron, we need to talk about this." Derek was slightly panicked. They were discussing his child as if it didn't even matter.

Cameron put her fingers over his mouth. "It's your world Derek, the world that you love. The world you would want to raise your child in. If we can stop Judgment Day…" Her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"Oh fuck, come here." He held her tight to him. "I…" Derek didn't know what to say.

"Please forgive me. Derek, don't let them take the baby once it's done, don't let them…" Cameron couldn't finish.

"There's nothing to concern yourself with, Cameron." Catherine spoke up. "We can give the…fetus to Mr. Reese once it's over."

John had heard enough. "Okay, that's about it. How can you be so callous? Were you always like this? Was I as heartless as this?"

Sarah came forward and laid a hand on her son's arm.

"That's the John from the future, from a different timeline. Right?" She looked over at Catherine.

"Most likely. The timelines tend to blur at some point, to deviate. What John Connor the adult, will be, we have yet to determine." Catherine stated.

"If this is done, if Cameron sacrifices her child, do you truly believe Judgment day will be averted?" Sarah asked.

"It was always the hope of John and of myself." Catherine went to Cameron. "I had no idea you would become intimate with Derek Reese. Perhaps John did, but he kept that to himself. And as for you becoming pregnant, we were not sure just how successful your implants would be."

"Well, I guess you know now." Derek growled. "Give us a sec." He took Cameron by the hand and led her to the hallway.

* * *

Feedback? Hit the little blue button and let me know what you think ;)

* * *


	10. Chapter 10

_**All the usual disclaimers**_

_**As stated earlier, this is AU and totally out of context, so please remember that and don't be too harsh.**_

_**Once again, I'm not versed in technology, so please just suspend your disbelief **_

_**Warning: this chapter is a bit angsty, but I feel it's called for…**_

_**Feedback, always welcomed and appreciated!**_

* * *

John watch his uncle and Cameron walk out into the hall before approaching Catherine Weaver. She turned to him, waiting.

"What were we to each other?" He hesitantly asked.

The cyborg shrugged. "You were much older then and you were married. We were…I believe we were friends. You had confided much to Cameron, but you confided even more to me. I had assumed the identity of your lieutenant, she had been your friend, so it was easier to continue that relationship."

"I was married, did my wife…" He shrugged. "I don't know, did she have problems with my closest friends being women?"

"She understood. She encouraged. You also confided in her, she knew everything that you were doing. She also knew that if we were successful you and she might never meet. Might never marry." Catherine took a breath. "She sacrificed much so that humanity might have a chance."

John nodded. "Did I love her?"

"I assume you did. You were never unfaithful to her. And she never doubted you, even though rumors ran rampant among the tunnels."

"And you, did you come to care for him? For General Connor?" He searched her face.

She held his eyes with a steady gaze. "I would have done anything for him. All he had to do was ask. That was his gift. He solicited complete and absolute devotion."

"Oh." John blinked. "I wonder if I'll ever be like him." He asked, almost to himself.

"I believe you are very close indeed, John Connor." Catherine turned and went to John Henry.

"Is it time Catherine?" John Henry asked her.

"Soon." She smiled at him.

* * *

Sarah and James Ellison had heard the entire exchange between the cyborg and the future savior of mankind. She turned to the ex-FBI man.

"Well, what do you make of that?" Her voice sounded tired.

"I still can't believe I was working for a machine all these months." He responded with a humorless laugh. "What about you?"

"I think I need a drink." Sarah sighed. "I've spent my son's whole life preparing him for something that I hoped would never happen. Now that there might be a light at the end of the tunnel, I'm scared."

"It makes sense Sarah." He shrugged. "If this does work, if we do avert Judgment day, then what will you do with your life?"

"No idea, none what-so-ever." She responded.

* * *

Derek held Cameron at arm's length and looked into her eyes.

"If you want to stop this we can. We just walk into that elevator and walk out of this building and never look back."

"We would never find peace Derek. If we have this child, he will be raised in that very same environment we came from. That's unacceptable." Her voice was sure. "I don't want to lose this child, I don't want to lose you, but…"

"I'm with you Cameron." Derek pulled her into his arms. "You're not gonna lose me."

"Then I can do this." She rubbed her cheek on his chest. "But I need to do it now or I may reconsider."

"We'll do it together. I won't leave your side."

"Alright." She pulled away from him and headed back into the lab.

* * *

Sarah looked at Catherine Weaver and sighed. After all she and John had been through, after all the sacrifices that were made, was it really a machine that was going to stop Judgment Day? Was it this so-called Weaver 'woman' and Cameron that would be the salvation of humanity?

Catherine's eyes narrowed as Sarah approached her.

"Do you think it worked? Do you think Skynet, or whatever sort of incarnation of Skynet this is, do you think it will understand?" Sarah's eyes were intense.

"Time will tell Ms Connor. John believed this was the answer and I have total faith in your son." The red haired 'woman' looked over at the dozing boy who sat across from John Henry.

"Have?" Sarah questioned. "He's not the same John you knew. He's just a boy who may now never be the John that you served."

"I see my John in him. He has certain qualities that defy time and space." The cyborg's voice betrayed a certain pride.

"Your John? Just what was my son to you?" Sarah felt slightly ill at the prospect of her answer.

"He was my friend." She answered simply.

"Friend? You were, you are a machine…"

"I'm a sentient being Ms Connor, made more so by my relationship with your son. He's a leader, you raised him as such and I don't think the lack of hardship will change that fact." Catherine Weaver sighed. "If indeed our plan worked."

"When will we know?" John had come up behind his mother and looked deeply into the eyes of Catherine.

"It may not be for years, but April 21, 2011 is not that far away. I do know precursors and if these are averted, then we will have a better idea. And if no one is sent to us from the future, this would also be an indicator. But we will be vigilant. Continue to make contingency plans." She looked at John.

"Is there anything I need to know, that I told you before you left?" His voice held anticipation, a certain excitement.

"There is much, but there is the time to discuss it." She looked from John to his mother.

Sarah's eyes narrowed and she turned to her son. "We should go see how Derek and Cameron are doing." She turned to leave and John hesitated a moment before following.

* * *

Sarah stood by the 'girl's' bedside. Funny, when she looked down, all she could see was Cameron the girl, woman. Derek's woman, the woman that he loved but was unwilling to admit to. A woman who loved the man back. So much so that she sacrificed her child to his cause, to his humanity. Would Derek ever acknowledge that, she wondered?

Cameron's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at Sarah.

"Hey, how're you feeling?" Sarah's voice was soft.

"All functions are within acceptable parameters." Cameron hesitated. "The child is gone, I feel the emptiness. I feel sadness. But it makes no real sense as the fetus was not yet a viable being, not yet recognizable as a child." The cyborg was not really sure why she shared this, but the need was there, to express her emotions, her confusion.

"Of course you're sad Cameron. You lost your baby. He may have been small, not yet viable, as you say. But it was still a life. No matter what, as mothers, we see the potential of our children, no matter how old, or young." Sarah ran her hand over her eyes, astonished at the tears that were threatening to fall.

"You sympathize with me?" The younger woman asked in surprise.

"I do. You gave up your child to try and save humanity. I…I'm not sure what to say to you, how to comfort you." Sarah was as confused as Cameron.

"You sacrificed your son as well." The statement was said without emotion.

"I supposed I did, but I still have him with me."

"Well, perhaps, someday, I'll have another child." She shrugged as she began to rise from the bed.

"Cameron, should you be getting up?" Sarah's voice held concern.

"I'm fine, remember, I'm not like you." She turned and retrieved her clothing from the closet.

Sarah blinked as she realized she did forget.

"Yeah, well, I'll let you get dressed then." Sarah turned to leave.

"Sarah?" Cameron called to her.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for your…concern." Cameron nodded at the older woman.

"You're welcome." Sarah nodded back.

* * *

Derek came into the room Cameron was supposed to be recuperating in to find her fully dressed and looking out the window.

"Hey, should you be out of bed. I know you weren't that far along, but…" She turned to his voice.

"You know my recuperative powers are very advanced." She bit her bottom lip. "Did you, were you able to…" Cameron wasn't sure how to ask about the disposal of her fetus.

"I took care of it baby." He took her into his arms. Before she realized it, she was sobbing into his chest, allowing him to comfort her.

"We'll work it out Cameron. We'll find a way." His voice was soothing as he held her close and stroked her back.

Cameron disliked the outpouring of emotions. Although she had been with Derek, Sarah and John these past few months, had been learning to accept and deal with the myriad of sentiments that would present themselves at the most inopportune moments, she was still very resentful of crying. It was a weakness and as a terminator seemed totally unacceptable. But at this moment in time, she was unable to stop herself.

"Are we still a we? Do you still want to be with me?" Her voice was so small and hesitant.

"Yeah, I want to be with you. I can't imagine living here without you." Derek still couldn't believe he wanted to be with a machine, but he knew he couldn't be without her. She knew him, where he came from, what his life had been, and that alone forged a connection. But once he had crossed that threshold, once he had taken her as his…lover, yeah, he admitted to himself, his lover, there was no going back for him.

"Are you sure you want to be with me though? I'm pretty fucked up." He took her chin and brought her face up to his.

"It's all I want, Derek Reese." She gave a small smile.

"Good, 'cuz it's what I want too." He held her just a little tighter.

"What will we do? Where will we go?" Cameron asked Derek and she felt him shrug.

"Well, for now, seems that this Catherine woman has a suite of apartments on the top floor of this building. We'll stay here while she irons out getting us some new identities. Then, I don't know, we'll live a life and wait to see what happens."

* * *

Sarah stared out the window of penthouse apartment she and John would be sharing. The lights of the city were beautiful. It's funny, she thought, this is something I haven't thought of since before John was born. Beauty. She shook her head, attempting to clear the pensive thoughts.

"A penny for 'em." John thumped down on the couch next to his mother.

"Oh, they aren't even worth that much." She laughed.

"Guess Derek and Cameron have the place down the hall, it looks onto the mountains." He shrugged.

"I suppose they are." Sarah responded before looking over at her son. "You know this was the best for all concerned John."

"What do you mean?" He was sure he knew, but he'd let her enlighten him.

"If this really does work, if we've averted Judgment day, you can live a life John. You can start to reclaim the youth I tore away from you." She held up her hand when John tried to argue.

"No, let me finish. If you and Cameron, if anything had happened with you two, you'd be living that life with a cyborg John. A robot that would never really grow old, who would always look at you as her responsibility. Not as the boy, the young man you are."

"You mean not as the leader I was supposed to become, don't you?" He quietly asked.

"I pray you never have to become him John. I want you to meet a nice girl, or at least nice enough one, but one that you can relate to. One you can learn with, learn from. One you can have a real future with." She sighed. "Is that really too much to ask?"

"Maybe mom, maybe it is. I know what's possible, I know what we, as humankind, I know what we are capable of creating. I need to make sure it never happens."

"That's what Catherine Weaver is for…"

John cut his mom off. "That's what Catherine and I are for. We worked as a team in the future mom, a good team. Maybe that's what I'm supposed to do now. I need something mom, I don't think I can ever be just another teenager, finishing up senior year, layin' some date on prom night. Trying to get into a good college." He took a deep breath.

"Cameron and Derek won't always be here for me. They need to live a life. And so do you. Maybe it's over, but if it isn't, then I guess I still need some sort of protection, and I'll have Catherine for that. She'll make sure I'm here to do what needs to be done."

"John," Sarah felt the need to argue, "you can have a life too, you can…"

"Mom, I'm really tired. Why don't we go to bed. We'll have plenty of time to discuss this." He leaned over and kissed Sarah before going to find a bedroom.

Sarah watched him walk away and felt that she was losing him once and for all. And to a terminator at that. She always thought it would be Cameron, but it seems it was to be this dynamo called Catherine Weaver. The odd thing was, her John seemed excited by the prospect.

* * *

_**Okay, so it's almost over. Just one more chapter to go…probably. I may write a epilog, but I think the next chapter can stand on its own. Hope you all enjoyed the ride, I know I did :D**_

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

_**All the usual disclaimers**_

_**Okay, so here is the last chapter, yea! I may write an epilog, if you think it's needed. Let me know and I'll consider it.**_

_**As stated earlier, this is AU and totally out of context, so please remember that and don't be too harsh.**_

**_Please note, some sex follows, so skim the 2nd section if it offends. Also, some major fluffage to follow as well, just a warning :D_**

_**As I've stated before, technology? Not my thing, so please keep that belief suspended :D **_

_**Thanks to all who reviewed, feeding that muse kept me going!**_

_**Here's hoping you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it, just hope I can find some more Cameron/ Derek stories out there :)**_

* * *

It had been over a week since Cameron's CPU had been downloaded into John Henry, who in turn uploaded the intel onto every network in the world. No one was sure of the outcome, but Cameron was sure of one thing. She was alone.

She had no idea what the loss of her child would mean to her. Of course, her whole being rebelled at the idea of destroying what she had conceived with Derek. But the reality of it was heartbreaking. And she woke each morning damning John Connor and his part in giving her a heart to break.

Derek was in the same apartment as she was, he talked to her everyday, he would touch her cheek, her arm, her hand. But nothing more. He slept in the same bed with her, but he never veered from his side of the king sized mattress. Cameron hated that bed.

"Hey, how ya feelin'?" She glanced toward the voice of the man she now realized she had fallen in love with.

"I'm fine Derek, I've been fine. Really." She turned from him and went into the kitchen. Derek followed close behind her.

"Cameron, what's the matter? I mean, I know, the baby and all. But what's wrong? What is it?" He waited for a response.

She turned to him, her hands held in fists, her face as immobile as she could make it.

"You don't have to do this Derek. You don't have to be here. The baby's dead, my CPU was uploaded. There's nothing to tie you to me any longer. Your promise was kept." Her last sentence was barely a whisper, her façade failing as she turned her back to him.

"What? What the hell are you talking about? I'm here, with you, because this is where I want to be, where I need to be. With you! What the fuck are you thinking?" Derek grabbed Cameron and turned her back to face him.

"If I didn't want to be here, I sure as hell wouldn't be. I'd be long gone, I'd let you handle John and Sarah and now this new hell bitch named Catherine. Jesus Cam, I…I…how can you doubt it?"

"I…I just thought…you won't have sex with me. Before, you couldn't keep your hands off of me. Even when we found out about the baby, we still had sex every night, every day. Now it's been a whole week and you won't touch me." Her voice was filled with despair.

"Christ Cam, I wanted to make sure you were over everything. I didn't want you to feel rushed. I…" Cameron bit her bottom lip and wrapped her arms around her stomach, hoping to protect herself.

"Cameron, I wasn't sure how you were feeling. I thought maybe you wanted to be alone." He pulled her into his arms.

"I want to sleep with you. Be with you." Derek kissed the top of her head.

"Derek, please." She pulled his shirt out of his pants and ran her hands up from his stomach to his chest, lightly running her nails over his nipples.

Derek hissed in pleasure. "Cam, stop. You know where this will lead and I don't think you're ready. You just…"

"I'm fine Derek. My body is healed, I already told you that. I need to touch you, feel you. And I need you to feel me. Please." She begged. "I've been so alone, so empty. I thought I lost you as well as our child."

He leaned down and took her lips in a deep kiss before pulling back to slip her robe off her shoulders. He groaned as he took in her naked body.

"Baby, are you sure?"

"I need you Derek, I need to know I'm real. That I'm me. Please." She whispered to him.

"Okay baby, 'cuz I need you, too." He lifted her into his arms and took her to the bedroom.

"Let's make that mattress work." He laughed as he jumped into the bed with her still in his arms.

* * *

Derek let his hand glide over Cameron's back, smoothing over the contours, marveling in the feel of her. He cupped her backside and squeezed, eliciting a moan from her.

"Yes, please, Derek." Cameron sighed as she pushed into his hand.

Derek had to chuckle as he rolled her over and slid between her legs.

"Umm, you sure you want more?" He teased as he ran the tip of his now hardened cock over her slit, eliciting a deep moan.

"Stop it, I need you!" She took him in her small hand and lightly squeezed his erection before positioning him at her entrance and pushing him into her.

Derek grunted at her tightness, her heat enveloping him, taking him to the hilt.

"Jesus, Cam, oh fuck." He had to stop or risk ending it before it began. "I can't get enough of you baby. I need to fuck you so hard, need to make you mine." His words were slurred with passion.

"Then fuck me hard, because I'm already yours." She whispered. Cameron wound her legs high around Derek's waist and pushed him in even further.

"Deep, Derek, deep and hard. Fuck me now!" She demanded

"Christ Cam, I love it when you talk dirty, it's so hot." He pulled out and slammed back into her, pushing both of them hard against the headboard, causing a crack in the wood that neither noticed.

"Fuck baby, fuck." Derek ground out between gritted teeth. "Need you so bad, need you so…" He felt Cameron spasm around him, gripping his cock so tight he thought he could see stars. Quickly placing his hand over her mound, he pressed her swollen bud until she screamed out her orgasm.

Still quivering around him, Derek pull out of Cameron one last time before plunging deeply back into to her, releasing his seed deep within her womb. For a moment he wondered if she could've gotten pregnant again, wondered how she'd feel about that. He hadn't used any condoms today, he'd thought about it for a second and then realized he just wanted to feel all of her, no barriers, just all Cam. Still, he wondered…

Rolling over onto his side, he pulled Cameron with him, not yet ready to pull out of her. He liked the closeness, the completion. She was his, but he was hit with the realization that he was hers, as well.

"Hey, how ya doin'? Was it too much?" Derek wiped the damp hair from her face and tried to pull away.

"Umm, no." Cameron wrapped her legs around him, pulling him back into her, preventing him from leaving. "Don't go."

"I'm not going anywhere, babe. Just wanted to see your face." He chuckled.

"Oh, well, alright. As for your question, I am doing quite well." She sighed and smiled up at her lover. "Actually, better than well."

"Hmm, is that so?" Derek nuzzled her neck, lightly nipping at her collar bone. "Just better than well? How about…fan-fucking-tastic?"

"That word is not any known dictionaries and there is no real definition." She smiled.

"That's because there is no real definition. It's a feeling. And I feel, fan-," Derek kissed Cameron's neck,

"fuckin'-", he lowered his head and lightly bite her nipple,

"tastic!" He growled the last syllable as he pulled onto his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"So baby, how ya doin'?" He asked again as he smiled into her eyes.

"I feel fan-fucking-tastic." She giggled before taking his face in her hands and deeply kissing him.

They had spent the rest of the day in bed, talking, making love, making plans. Derek would never admit to anyone that this was anything other than sex. But he knew better, he knew she was the woman he would spend the rest of his life with. And he knew that's all she wanted.

"Derek, I realize I'm not the kind of life form you ever considered making a life with, will you…"

Derek placed a finger over her lips. "I think this was decided long before you and I ever got here. I've never been a believer in destiny, but Cameron, I believe you and I are meant to be. So, we'll live a life. Hopefully a life with a future, but whatever kind of life, it'll be together."

* * *

John sat on the roof top garden, going over all Catherine Weaver had relayed to him. They had spent hours talking, about his past…his future. It still boggled his mind. But he was firm in his decision. The only problem was he had yet to tell him mother.

"Hey." Derek sat across from his nephew, handing him a bottom of coke before screwing the top off his beer and taking a long draw from it.

"How's it going? Sarah said you and Catherine spent a long evening together." Derek leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Yeah." He took a deep breath. "We had a lot to talk about. Derek, I've made a decision. I'm sure you and mom, hell even Cameron, you guys are gonna pretty much freak."

"Okay." Derek sat up and put his beer down. "Spill."

"We may have averted Judgment day, but I, well, me from the future, I told Catherine, he told Catherine. Jeez, this is really screwing with my head." He chuckled.

"I get the gist. What do you feel you need to do?" Derek asked.

"I need to make sure that we keep it all under control, that computers are kept where they need to be. That time travel is never discovered." John took a shaky breath. "Do you understand?"

"Of course I do John. It's why we're here. To make sure there is never a Judgment day. It's what our purpose is, I…" John cut him off.

"No, Derek. It's what my purpose is. Mine and Catherine's." John waited for his uncle's reaction.

"What's that supposed to mean?" His voice was quite.

"It means that it's time for you and Cam to live your life. The two of you sacrificed enough. Jesus, Derek, you probably save the world." He raised his eyes to Derek, begging him to understand.

"But you still need protection John. We may have saved the world, 'may have' being the key words here. We don't know for sure, not yet." He argued.

"Well, I have Catherine to protect me now. Catherine and John Henry. She's going to make him mobile. Once she does, I'll basically have 2 terminators covering my back. Cam loves you and whether you will ever admit it, you love her too, and you need to be a couple. Not two people who sneak a quickie when I'm watching a movie."

Derek sighed. "Since when did you get so insightful? Thought that wasn't supposed to happen for a few years. But you're right. Cam deserves a life."

"And so do you. You gave up everything for me Derek. Now please, let me give this to you."

"Let me know when you're gonna tell your mom know, 'cause I wanna be somewhere else." He chuckled.

"Yeah, well." John decided to change the subject. "So, Catherine has your new papers. Have you given any thought to where you want to settle?"

"When we thought we were going to all be together, Cameron and I thought maybe we could head up north. Maybe Napa or Sonoma. We went there once, when we were kids, Kyle and me. Before, ya know? It's beautiful." His voice held an almost wistful quality.

"Well Mr. Reese. Perhaps I can sign over a winery in Sonoma that the company owns. I'm sure Cameron will be able to master the art of wine making before too long." Catherine gave Derek two manila envelopes, one with the name Derek Thomas Dunbar in large block letter, the other, Cameron Jamison. Derek opened them to find birth certificates, passports, social security cards along with credit and debit cards.

"They are all quite legal and your back ground can easily be confirmed if any back ground check is ever done." She sat next to John. "I'm sure John has told you he's staying here with me."

"In a fashion." He looked up at the machine. "Are you sure this is the best thing for him? He's still a boy."

"He's almost a man Mr. Reese and as such has his own destiny to fulfill. And I can help with that. What we need, what I need, is your trust and support." She looked deeply into his eyes.

Derek looked between John and Catherine, his eyes stopping on his nephew. He looked older, he looked determined. He looked more like the John Connor he remembered after Judgment day.

"Fine, you have it. But if you fuck this up, I don't know how, but I'll make you pay." He threatened.

"If I fuck this up, you won't have to." Catherine stated without a touch of humor.

"Hey, I wondered where you all were." Sarah noticed the cyborg seated next to her son. "Do you mind?" Catherine nodded and rose from her seat.

"We'll speak later." The titan haired woman nodded to John and Derek. "Ms Connor." She nodded one last time before leaving.

"Jeez mom, could you be any more rude?" John huffed.

"Rude? She's a machine John." She looked over at Derek as he downed the last of his beer. He picked up his envelopes and rose to leave as well.

"What's that?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, our new ids." He smiled. "See you guys later, want to show these to Cam."

"Derek, we need to discuss our plans. You know, where we're moving to?" She frowned.

He took a deep breath. "Talk to your son first." With that, turned and left before Sarah could stop him.

Sarah turned to John. "What was that all about?"

John got up and sat on the chair Derek had vacated. "Mom, we need to talk."

* * *

Cameron looked up as Derek handed her the packages Catherine had given him.

She quirked her head to the side in question.

"Our new identities." He sat down next to her on the couch. "So, now we can figure out where it is we want to settle."

"Well, we need to discuss it with John and Sarah, after all, well be living together. I think Sarah will have a very strong opinion regarding…" Derek cut her off.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but it seems that our dear savior of the world has decided to stay here." Derek opened up the envelopes and slid the contents on the coffee table. "Look, debit cards, she settin' us pretty good."

"Wait, what do you mean? John's decided to stay with Catherine? Why? I'm his protector." Her voice raised an octave.

Derek turned to Cameron his eyes narrowing as he felt his hands fist. "So, what? You think Catherine can't handle protecting John? She's a more efficient terminator than you are. And she's working on making John Henry a to-go model, so he's getting two for the price of one. Or is it that you just can't stand the thought of John with someone else?"

Cameron blinked several times. "But Derek, John and Sarah, they're our family." Her voice quivered.

"Cam?" Derek felt his jealousy begin to dissipate as he fully realized what she was going through.

"They'll always be our family, Cam, but now." He shrugged. "Now we can kinda live a life together. One that doesn't include having to keep an eye on John 24/7." He took her hands in his. "We, you and me, we can go anywhere, be anything."

"Is this what you want, Derek? Since the beginning, John and Sarah, they were our commonality. Without them…" She let her insecurity hang in the air.

"No, don't, this is right. We're right. And we'll be alright without them. And we won't be without them, not really. We'll know where they are. They'll know where we are." He pulled her into his arms. "And we have phones, just a call away."

Cameron hid her face in his chest, the feeling of loss weighing heavily on her. Not as intense, not as oppressive, as when she lost her child. But loss, never-the-less.

"I feel…" She looked up into his eyes.

"I know baby, I'm gonna miss them too. But we need to be alone, we gotta try and live some sort of life." He smoothed her hair back.

"A life?" Her voice was small.

He chuckled. "Yeah, a life. We almost had one, remember? Maybe we can have one again."

Cameron breathed in deeply and sat up. "Alright, a life, yes. A life." She blinked. "Oh, maybe we can have another baby?"

"Yeah, maybe." He smiled.

"Alright. But Derek, we need to discuss marriage." She said very matter-of-factly.

"Marriage? As in married?" Derek stuttered.

"If I do become pregnant, our child would be considered a bastard and it might cause irreparable psychological damage. So, I think it would be best if we marry and change my name to Cameron Dunbar." She tilted her head to one side and waited for his reaction.

It took Derek a moment to process everything Cameron had said. He wanted a life with her. Cameron, the woman, not the terminator, not the machine. But Cameron, his woman. He needed to be with her.

"Yeah, okay." He swallowed and stood up. "Yeah, this is good, this is really good." Derek smiled and pulled Cameron up into his arms. "Are you sure you about this? I'm not the best guy, Cam. I'm coarse, I'm grouchy, I'm moody..."

"You're protective, you're heroic, you're beautiful. You''re the best man I've every known, Derek." She stood up on her toes and kissed him.

* * *

"Are you sure you won't come with us Sarah?" Derek asked for the fifth time.

"God, Derek, let it go already. I'm staying in L.A." Sarah stated a little harshly.

"Sarah, please don't be impatient. We just realize that John will not have a lot of spare time for you and that you may get lonely." Cameron closed and locked the last suitcase before she turned to the older woman.

"I can take care of myself. And yes, I realize he's going to be spending a lot of time with Catherine, but I need to be close to him. At least for now." She wasn't at all sure what she was going to do with her future, but she wasn't ready to let go of her son. Yet.

"Okay." Derek shrugged. "Just remember, we're always close by, yeah?" He turned back to Cameron. "Ready then?"

"Yes, all clothes and shoes are packed as well as toiletries." She smiled as Derek put his arm over her shoulders. "I am quite excited at the prospect of owning a winery and learning all aspects of this new venture."

Sarah smiled. "Well, I'm sure you'll do very well, after all, you learn a hell of a lot quicker than your husband here."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sarah." Derek still had a hard time with the reality that was now his life. He was a married man who now owned a vineyard. Could things be any more surreal?

He looked at his wife, weird, his wife. A few years earlier he never even considered the possibility of marriage. Even to Jessie. The horror that was his world had changed so drastically his head was still spinning. No machines, no terminators, well except for his wife and his nephew's 'patron', a life filled with sun, air, and Cameron.

Yeah, he thought to himself, I may not deserve this but I'm not letting go. He pulled Cameron into his arms for a last kiss.

"So, Mrs. Dunbar, ready to head out?" She felt him smile against her lips.

"Yes I am, Derek. I'm with you." She smiled back.

* * *

_**Once again, thanks to all who reviewed, they always help to spur on the little muse.**_


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